Pannier Options

Just trying to get a handle on all my options so I can finally make a choice!

There's the affordable ones from Nashbar or REI. There's the Axioms, Blackburns, Topeaks. A step up from there might be the Jannd's. The fancy ones are Arkel and the Ortleibs. If I want something a little more "charming", there's Velo Orange, Frost River, or Carradice.

Am I missing anything? Particularly in the "more charming" department?

I love my Ortlieb BikeShopper pannier and Tubus rack. I got all mine via Wayne at the thetouringstore.com (not a shill here, just like to support good businesses that treat customers right). The pannier looks good, is waterproof and well constructed. It's locking mechanism is great.

I have Lone Peaks. They're probably better made than Nashbar's, but they do have some issues. The trailing edge of the pannier tends to sag inward untill it rubs the spokes on the back wheel. This can result in the pannier getting sucked into the wheel, causing loud rubbing and lots of friction. Hasn't completely stopped the bike . . . yet. They're also somewhat fussy to pack, with long straps that can hang down, possibly getting caught in a wheel. Again, that hasn't happened, but only because I'm pretty good about tying off the straps. Finally, they leak. They weren't advertised as waterproof, but I thought they'd give a little protection from the rain.

I've been using a Banjo Brothers bag for the past month or so. They've impressed me. They're sturdy, and the material and zippers are heavy duty. Plenty of room and pretty well thought out design. Paid ~ $50.

Basill bags are cute as hell. Are they good?? No idea, Can you get them in the states??? No idea.

I use an Arkel. Why? it's bullet proof. The mounting system is foolproof and heavy duty. There are enough things that can go wrong on daily commute. My bag shouldn't be one of them. It was expensive and it was worth it.

I'm a fan of the Ortlieb Ultimate 5 panniers. The Classic model is good too, although a little stiffer when rolling them down to close. Touringstore.com is indeed the best. Wayne won't stop until you're totally happy.